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Spanning Time: How the Superman-like telephone booth came to the City of Binghamton

Gerald Smith, Special to the Press & Sun-Bulletin
Published 8:00 p.m. ET May 1, 2020

Those words still ring in my head years after the 1950's black-and-white television series starring George Reeves stopped running in reruns that I saw in the early 1960's. After all, I grew up reading DC comic books (sorry, Marvel fans). Whether it was in the comic books or, more likely, in the television show, poor Clark Kent would be caught watching Lois Lane get thrown from a building, or the bank robbers about to shoot at the bystanders during the robbery.

Well, Clark knew what to do. He would dash into the nearest telephone booth and miraculously take off his clothes to reveal his Superman outfit and dash out and fly through the air. All this, and no one ever saw him do it — despite the fact that the telephone booth was mostly glass. That might be all good considering he was in busy Metropolis where no one paid attention, but what if it had happened in Binghamton?

The answer to that problem was “solved” in April 1952. In that year, New York Telephone Co. had a major campaign to add public outdoor telephone booths in what they determined were necessary locations that could fill a need. There were a number of booths already installed in hotels, airports and similar interior locations. The outdoor booth movement was gathering steam, and these glass and metal booths were already installed in Syracuse, Utica, and Troy.

Now it was Binghamton’s turn, and the front of the courthouse lawn seemed the ideal location. The county’s Board of Supervisors had met with the representatives and discussed the issue. The agreement would allow for the installation of the booth, and the county — since it was their land — would receive 10% of the first 50 cents every day and up to 20% of anything over $2 a day.

As the process to complete the task went ahead, a ditch was dug across the lawn so that the telephone would be connected with a conduit. As this was progressing, the Board of Supervisors sent over the agreement to the Binghamton City Council, hoping for a quick agreement.

That was the hope, but it was quickly dashed. The councilman for the Seventh Ward, Franklin Preston, Sixth Ward Councilman Bert Scoville, and Council President Rollin Twining took umbrage at the effort.

A pastel portrait of Billy Reardon, of Binghamton. He was a later partner of Irene Castle, head greeter at San Moritiz, and a manager of both the Stork Club and the Rainbow Room in New York. Broome County Historical Society / Provided photo

Preston was particularly vocal in his opposition to the placement of a telephone booth at the heart of downtown, calling it unsightly, while Scoville insisted it would be come “a public nuisance.” A resolution to a committee asking to stop the booth’s installation was sent to the members of that committee.

There was a problem, though.

The ditch was already dug, and rain threatened to ruin that effort. The committee took the only action that it thought possible. It tabled the resolution, effectively killing the efforts to stop the telephone booth from being completed.

That occurred on April 22, 1952. Within a few days, the installation began in earnest, and Councilman Arthur Robinson noted with some disdain what would prevent the county from opening a popcorn stand on the courthouse square. By April 30, the booth was basically installed, and in a perfect photo opportunity, Dawn Abbott, the daughter of a telephone operator, was photographed holding what was in reality a lineman’s handset while John McCurn, a telephone representative, looked on.

John McCurn, telephone representative, looks on as Dawn Abbott shows off the new telephone booth in 1952.(Photo: File)

The deed was complete, and the new telephone booth was put into operation. On Saturday, May 17 — only a month after the City Council grudgingly gave their permission for the telephone booth to be installed — the last part of Robinson’s prediction also came true. On that day, a popcorn and peanuts stand began operating in front of the courthouse on the Exchange Street side. It was operated by Jim Kastanis, and it was visited by Councilmen Arthur Robinson and Franklin Preston and a reporter.

Seeing the development, Robinson did the only thing left to him — he bought a package of peanuts from the vendor and passed them around to the group.

A few months later, a booth was installed in the village of Greene.

Clark Kent would now had plenty of places to change.

Gerald Smith is the former Broome County historian. Email him at historysmiths@stny.rr.com.